SDSU guide: Common and exotic thistles of South Dakota

April 11, 2008

BROOKINGS - A new guide from South Dakota State University discusses the thistles found in the state. The guide offers crucial information for distinguishing native species from invasive species that cause major problems in agricultural production. SDSU Extension Special Series 1500, “A Guide to the Common Native and Exotic Thistles of South Dakota,” is available online in PDF format at this link: http://agbiopubs.sdstate.edu/articles/ESS1500.pdf. Or ask at your county Extension office. There are 11 species of plants in South Dakota commonly called thistle, not including sow thistle or Russian thistle, neither of which is closely related to true thistles. Six of these 11 are native species and are natural components of prairie, meadow, or woodland habitats. The remaining five are exotic species from Europe and Asia that were introduced to the U.S. The exotics are invasive weeds and have significant economic impact on crop and livestock production, native biological community stability, and recreation. Paul J. Johnson and Darrell Deneke of the SDSU Plant Science Department wrote the publication along with Gary E. Larson of SDSU's Department of Biology and Microbiology. The U.S. Department of the Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service sponsored the guide in cooperation with SDSU's College of Agriculture & Biological Sciences and the South Dakota Cooperative Extension Service.